W♥M

The Avalanches at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (30 Sep 2022)

Setlist     Intro: The Doors’ “The End” / Brian Eno’s “An Ending (Ascent)” The Divine Chord with “Wherever You Go” snippet Electricity Oh the Sunn! Interstellar Love with Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” sample A Different Feeling with Ghost Story Interlude snippet Overcome / If I Was a Folkstar Song for Barbara Payton with Willy Wonka’s “Pure Imagination” sample Music Makes Me High Close to You Live at Dominoes Radio Subways Take Care in Your Dreaming / Wozard of Iz Wherever You Go / Flight Tonight We Go On with Queen’s “I Want To Break Free” sample -- Encore -- Running Red Lights Dial D for Devotion / Radio Because I'm Me Since I Left You with Ghost Story Interlude snippet Hammond Song / We Will Always Love You Read More The Avalanches Australian sample pioneers The Avalanches (Robbie Chater and Tony Di Blasi) is making a rare appearance at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis this Friday, September 30th. …

Australian sample pioneers The Avalanches (Robbie Chater and Tony Di Blasi) headlined the Varsity Theater, in Minneapolis, on Friday, September 30th.

Opening the show was Arizona’s Kareem Ali (كريم علي). The self-described “EEM” (Ethereal Electronic Music) DJ spent the entire 40-min set laser focused on his laptop, while in complete darkness (with random backlight).

The music was a lot of club-pulsing synths, which got the crowd bumping and dancing. You can sample some of his tracks, such as “Stay Strong” and “Love Is Why” on his Soundcloud.

Varsity Theater Marquee

In the late 90s, Melbourne’s The Avalanches (then a full band with a rapper, drummer and so on) spent the better part of their lives touring with Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, etc. After the massive success of Since I Left You in 2000, the band sort of just took a break from touring six years later. The 2016 touring band featured Robbie Chater on mixing, Andy Szekeres on keyboards, synthesizer, Spank Rock on rapping, Eliza Wolfgramm on vocals, Paris Jeffree on drums, Oscar Vicente Slorach-Thorn on vocals, and Jonti Danilewitz on guitars.

Currently, it would seem that The Avalanches are keeping it simple with just Robbie Chater and Tony Di Blasi, doing all the live mixing by themselves. The two looked really excited to be playing live, even face timing with a loved one to show them the audience and let them hear the set in real time.

Over the many years of experience, their current setup is a massive two-person table using live using samplers, analogue keyboards, bass guitar, drum kit, theremin, turntables, a percussion stand, and MIDI-controlled special effects. They also brought with them their own custom light setup, which were carefully synced with their music to display certain colors for certain songs. For example, when The Beach Boys sample of “God Only Knows” was played the background lit up a golden color.

For these DJ shows, it’s all about the light show and it’s all about the music. If you were a music nerd, you can hear all sorts of samples, from Queen to Willy Wonka, in their compositions.

Unfortunately, shortly after playing the Varsity Theater, the duo cancelled their remaining tour dates due to serious illness on October 1: “Unfortunately due to serious illness we have had to make the heartbreaking decision to cancel our remaining US and Canadian shows to return home. Thank you to everyone who has made this tour so joyous, and apologies to everyone who had tickets for the remaining shows. All ticket holders will be contacted directly with refund details. Thank you.”

The Avalanches’ latest album We Will Always Love You is out now.

The Avalanches

Kareem Ali

The Avalanches

The Avalanches

The Avalanches at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (30 Sep 2022)

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

We♥Movies: Mr. Nelson On the Northside (Prince documentary advance screening)

Mr. Nelson On the Northside Producer: Dan D’Or, Michael J. Kirk Distributor: Kew Media Synopsis The journey to the top was a challenge for the shy kid from a broken home in North Minneapolis. This is the story never before told. In a mixedrace neighbourhood during the Civil Rights movement, Prince found security, musical opportunities and encouragement at a local community center called ‘The Way’. This influence, coupled with the culture and music of the era, gave Prince his passion for music and performance. In this film, Prince’s mentor Spike Moss explains the origin and influences that shaped Prince’s musical skills. Musical icons such as Chuck D, Macy Gray and Chaka Khan recount never before told stories of Prince and how his unique creative form inspired them. His fans share personal experiences of his social media connections and private performances at Paisley Park. Read More Prince The two big shows on this date will be the Prince Tribute Concert (featuring Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan) at Xcel Energy Center and Sia at Target Center. …

“This is how we funk on the Northside, got to be bold” - Prince, ‘Northside’

Since Prince Rogers Nelson unexpectedly passed away just over three years ago, the veritable floodgates have opened in terms of tributes, books, and documentaries about his fabled life, with even more coming soon.

Of those, none really focuses sharply on his formative early years and life as a mostly shy, sometimes mischievous, and extremely talented kid growing up in North Minneapolis, until now.

Mr. Nelson On the Northside is an in-progress documentary that plants a foot in Prince’s North Minneapolis neighborhood going into detail about the local community center called The Way, that helped nurture and encourage his fast-developing musical talent.

A workprint of the documentary was recently screened for the neighborhood community at a semi-private affair at Minneapolis North High School (FYI, Prince’s alma mater was not North, but the now-demolished Central High School).

It is unusual and somewhat brave for a director to screen a work that is still being finished, but director/producer Michael Kirk (credited as, and on IMDB as Kirk Fera) was both in town to do a few last interviews and very much wanted the neighborhood’s opinion of the as-is film, as one of his main objectives was to give the community a collective voice, regarding their own musical favorite son.

The film as we saw it, ran approximately ninety minutes, is told mostly chronologically with some nicely done supplemental animated bits, and is peppered with interview portions from known celebrities (some more apropo than others) such as Chaka Khan, Macy Gray, Orianthi, Dennis Quaid, Public Enemy MC Chuck D, Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger, and Living Colour ex-bassist Muzz Skillings.

Localy-based interviews were done with author and on-air personality Andrea Swensson, journalist Neal Karlen, local DJ Walter “Q Bear” Banks Jr, and activist and former director of The Way, Harry “Spike” Moss, with Karlen, Banks, and Moss in attendance for the screening.

As Prince’s star rose and he left Minneapolis to tour the world, so the film leaves the area as well, until near the end when it re-connects with the neighborhood and reveals tentative future plans to re-establish The Way, both here and elsewhere.

Khan (who is also their subject for an upcoming documentary herself) has a good amount of screen time, re-telling the story where she was tricked into going to the studio by Prince over the phone, he masquerading as someone else, and Swensson fills in many details of the developing scene locally, as her 2017 book Got to Be Something Here: The Rise of Minneapolis Sound (Univ of MN Press) begins in the year of Prince’s birth, 1958.

The film’s middle wanders a bit and it tries to wrap his arms around Prince’s global success with some of the interview content more germane to its subject than others, but becomes again compelling as things move full circle back into the neighborhood that spawned him with comments from people like Moss and Banks, that reinforce Prince’s overall value as inspiration to his home community.

“This film explores the man behind the hype – never has a film about Prince included the childhood influences in his life that helped create the genius that he was,” says Kirk in a statement, and it mostly achieves this, though would be unfair to fully review it while it is still in progress.

The documentary’s title itself might be a little confusing to the casual fan, as Mr. Nelson refers to the name Prince first wanted to be known as, before first producer Chris Moon explained to him there was already a more famous Mr. Nelson (Willie), and that his birth name was the natural choice to perform as.

The film will insert a few new interviews and undergo a final editing cut, before it is solicited to streaming, cable, and broadcast channels, with hope for wider and multi-country distribution soon.

Mr. Nelson On the Northside gives a much needed voice to the proud community that helped nurture the talent of a musical one-of-a-kind, a neighborhood that has much to say, but is still rarely asked to speak.

john ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ facebook.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Minneapolis/St Paul 2016 Events

Read More John Mark Nelson We last saw John Mark Nelson at his CD release show, and that was a lot of fun. Although it lacked the guest singers, congo line of brass, and confetti, it was still no less just as exciting. …

THE LOWERTOWN LINE
lowertownline.org

I have some exciting news: The Lowertown Line will be filming local bands on the Twin Cities PBS stage in St Paul. Already tickets for Poliça are sold out.

Their first film is for John Mark Nelson next week, January 14th. We've seen him a few times when he was doing promotional shows for his album Sings the Moon. Nelson's latest I'm Not Afraid is out now on GNDWIRE Records via Thirty Tigers.

The Lowertown Line filming details:

It’s time to gear up for another season of live music tapings of The Lowertown Line!

After a year of traveling around the Twin Cities filming concerts in music venues, we’re excited to return home to our newly-renovated building to host an exciting lineup of concerts at Twin Cities PBS.

Our cameras will be there to capture it all. And with genres ranging from rock to country to soul, there will be something for everyone. We’re thrilled to welcome local acts John Mark Nelson, Poliça, The Cactus Blossoms, Sonny Knight & The Lakers and Davina and The Vagabonds into our Lowertown studios.

All shows are FREE admission – but make sure to reserve a ticket through the designated Eventbrite link!

Doors open at 7:00 p.m. with music starting promptly at 8 p.m.

Come be a part of this live music experience and stay tuned for when the episodes will air on TPT at a later date. RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW:

January 14: John Mark Nelson | Reserve tickets here

February 4: POLIÇA | SOLD OUT

March 10: The Cactus Blossoms | Reserve tickets here

April 14: Sonny Knight & The Lakers | Reserve tickets here

May 12: Davina and the Vagabonds | Reserve tickets here

*Limited space is available in studio. Tickets do not guarantee entry. Please arrive early to ensure a spot in the audience at the show.

Read More Public Enemy Public Enemy's incredible 20 hour soundcheck was filled with "ai'ight" and "cd and dvd for $10". The soundcheck was so long, the press photographers, possibly bored out of their mind started taking pictures …

RACE, RAP, AND REALITY
augsburg.edu

Come celebrate Dr Martin Luther King Jr with Public Enemy's Chuck D at 1pm on January 18th at Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center, at Augsburg College Campus.

The event is completely free, but if you want a good seat, I suggest you show up early.

Details:

Chuck D is the leader and co-founder of legendary rap group Public Enemy, author of two critically acclaimed books, and a political activist, publisher, radio host, and producer.

Chuck D redefined rap music and hip hop culture with the release of Public Enemy’s debut album in 1987, Yo! Bum Rush The Show, which delivered a powerful articulation of the realities facing black people in the late twentieth century. With an unprecedented lyrical eloquence, Public Enemy has continued to stress the importance of history and self-determination in the forward movement of all who have been oppressed. Between 1987 and 2009, with Chuck D at the helm, Public Enemy has released 13 albums, toured 63 countries, and influenced hip hop communities, social justice struggles, and political activism throughout the world.

Chuck D has been named one of the “50 most important performers in rock and roll history” by Rolling Stone magazine; one of the “100 Most Influential Black Americans” by Ebony Magazine; and in 2013, Chuck D and Public Enemy were elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has been featured and/or interviewed in more than 50 documentaries and has appeared in numerous public service announcements for national peace and the Partnership for a Drug Free America. He has also been a national spokesperson for Rock the Vote, the National Urban League, Americans for the Arts Council, and the National Alliance for African-American Athletes.

Chuck D continues to make music and to write prolifically on technology, politics, rap and soul music, and race in the United States.

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This event is open to the public. For information or special requests, call 612-330-1104.

Read More Rock the Garden The second Rock the Garden music festival on Sunday saw a seemingly bigger crowd, particularly near the front of the stage. …

ROCK THE GARDEN
walkerart.org

The Walker Art and The Current's annual summer festival Rock the Garden will return on June 18th, 2016. Tickets goes on sale April 5th for Walker and The Current members. General public will get their chance to buy tickets April 6th.

We love the festival, it is usually the highlight to our summer, as a special bonus, listen to John and Vu talk about Rock the Garden and how incredibly busy June 2015 was for us.

NOTE: The event will be held at Boom Island because of the construction to the Walker.

Here is the details about Rock the Garden 2016:

The Walker and The Current’s annual summer festival returns Saturday, June 18, 2–10 pm. Due to construction at the Walker, this year’s concert will be held at Boom Island in Northeast Minneapolis. The bands will be announced on Tuesday, April 5, beginning at 9 am on The Current. Tickets to Rock the Garden go on sale Tuesday, April 5 at 10 am, to Walker and The Current members and to the general public on Wednesday, April 6, at 10 am.

“We are so pleased to have secured Boom Island as a temporary location Rock the Garden ’16” said Philip Bither, Director and McGuire Senior Curator for Performing Arts at the Walker. “This beautiful setting will allow for a one-day, multiple staged event sure to carry the same great spirit and inspired mix of music that Rock the Garden has been so noted for in the past. We look forward to returning to the gorgeously re-designed new Walker campus for Rock the Garden ’17.”

“We’re really excited to venture into a new location and experiment with the staging and format of Rock the Garden this year,” adds Jim McGuinn, program director for The Current. “Attendees can expect the same level of playful creativity and sonic adventurousness that have been hallmarks of all the previous lineups, along with a chance to explore a new neighborhood and hang with friends at Boom Island for a celebratory summertime kick off!”

Become a Walker Art Center member at walkerart.org
Become a member of The Current/Minnesota Public Radio at mpr.org

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Groovin' the Moo 2012

Read More Groovin' the Moo Groovin' the Moo is an annual festival across Australia. It started in 2005, and is going strong in 2011 with a healthy lineup.

It’s here again already? Groovin the Moo, our favourite regional touring festival is about to take off around Australia. After last year, we’re super excited to spend another day hanging out in downtown Maitland at one of the most easy going events of the year and again they’ve managed to get a pretty amazing set of bands to play.

360, Adrian Lux, Andrew WK (One-Man-Party Tour), Ball Park Music, Beni, Big Scary, Bluejuice, City and Colour, Digitalism, The Getaway Plan, Gold Fields, Hermitude, Hilltop Hoods, Kaiser Chiefs, Kimbra, The Maccabees, Matt Corby, Muscles, Mutemath, Naysayer & Gilsun, Parkway Drive, Public Enemy, Purple Sneakers DJs, San Cisco and Wavves.

Saturday 5th May – Prince of Wales Showground, Bendigo, VIC
Sunday 6th May– Murray Sports Complex, Townsville, QLD
Saturday 12th May – Showgrounds, Maitland, NSW
Sunday 13th May – University of Canberra, ACT
Saturday 19th May – Hay Park, Bunbury, WA

Depending on which locations you might like to attend there are different places to buy tickets and other juicy bits of information that you’ll only find out from the official website: www.gtm.net.au.

So we’ll meet at Maitland Leagues Club for a pre-band aussie-style sweet and sour pork and a noice schooner of VB? Sweet! See you there!

sally () ♥ www.gtm.net.au